Ahmad Poppy Alsaid, 67, was fatally shot during an armed robbery at his Bridgeway Market on Niagara Street in Niagara Falls on the evening of November 21, 2018, the night before Thanksgiving. The shooting occurred at about 7:30 p.m.; Alsaid, a longtime local business owner known for his kindness and for creating a warm neighborhood atmosphere, was taken to Erie County Medical Center and later died of his wounds.

Police reported a second armed robbery about 8:00 p.m. that same night at a 7-Eleven on Buffalo Avenue, where two armed men stole cash from the clerk. Authorities suspected the two incidents were connected, which heightened alarm across the community.

Two men were arrested and arraigned on charges related to the violent spree, including murder, robbery and weapons counts. Very little is known publicly about the circumstances leading up to the store encounters. Did anyone who frequented Bridgeway Market or saw activity on Niagara Street that night notice anything unusual?